STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Monsignor Farrell High School let loose a stampede of 257 remarkable young "lions" earlier today, young men who are poised to make their mark in this world.

The lion -- the school's official mascot -- served as an apropos symbol for the Oakwood institution's annual commencement ceremonies. It allowed Valedictorian Nicholas Santaniello to draw on the connection to the king of the beasts in his graduation speech using the song "The Circle of Life" from "The Lion King" to compare the time he and his fellow graduates had spent at Farrell.

Santaniello said just like the song, he and his classmates came as freshman, "arriving in the sun with more opportunities than we could ever take advantage of."

And yet take advantage they did. The young lions poured themselves into all opportunities -- some given, in other cases some seized -- in all areas in and out of school life including academic, athletic and community service areas.

"We put in the time, the hard work, the dedication," said Santaniello. "The greatest effort was our own."

When they first began at Farrell, Santaniello said, "We started out as 350 young boys and now we graduate at 260 men who made it through the stampede.... we can be proud of ourselves."

He concluded noting that even though, "The circle of life continues even after we walk out of these doors today, we are forever Farrell men."

Calling the graduates remarkable and extraordinary young men, The Rev. Monsignor Edmund J. Whalen, the school's principal, thanked staff members, faculty, parents, grandparents and all others who made possible the "gift of a Farrell education."

The Rev. Monsignor Thomas J. Bergin, president of the Board of Trustees, congratulated the grads and told them, there will always be a place for them at the school.

"You are remarkable young men and you are very much welcome home always," said Bergin.

In his speech, Salutorian Kieran Tracy said that he and each of his fellow classmates has learned to live up to the school's motto: "Vir Fidelis" meaning "faithful man."

"We are faithful to our family, faithful to our country, faithful to our God and faithful to ourselves," said Tracy.

Tracy said living up to that motto has become the culmination of their careers at Farrell, as he and his fellow graduates can, "celebrate the accomplishments we have achieved as brothers and take pride in our school and in ourselves."

He added that being faithful means to also be true to one's beliefs in "good time and in times of strife."

The graduates' departure from the school will now provide an opportunity for a new beginning, he noted, "to take our knowledge and talents and use them to the best of our ability for ourselves and for others."

Tracy concluded by quoting to his fellow graduates the words of the late great basketball coach John Wooden stating: "The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching -- Remember these words when you have choices to make as in you move forward with the rest of your lives."